Ancestors of Tim Farr and The Descendants of Stephen Farr

Louis VI "the Fat" King of FRANCE [Parents] 1, 2, 3, 4 was born 5 in 1081 in France. He died 6 on 1 Aug 1137 in Chateau Bethizy, Paris, France. Louis married 7 Adelaide (Alix) Countess de SAVOY about 1115 in Paris, Seine, France.

Adelaide (Alix) Countess de SAVOY 1, 2, 3 was born 4 in 1092. She died 5 on 1 Aug 1154. Adelaide married 6 Louis VI "the Fat" King of FRANCE about 1115 in Paris, Seine, France.

Leofric III Earl of MERCIA [Parents][scrapbook] 1 was born on 14 May 968 in Mercia, England, United Kingdom. He died 2 on 31 Aug 1057. Leofric married 3 "Lady" Godiva Countess of MERCIA in BY 1030.

Earl Leofric and Lady Godiva of Mercia in the mid-11th. century. They ruled from Kings Bromley, wisely and well, and put their Earldom on a par with that of Wessex under Earl Godwin. Earl Leofric's good counsel to King Canute and to his two Sons Harold Harefoot and Hardicanute helped avert civil-war during the two sons' joint rule. The Earl and Countess organised the building of many religious-houses. They founded Coventry Abbey, and endowed Wenlock Priory, Leominster and Worcester Churches, Evesham Abbey and St. Werburgh of Chester (that Etheired and Elthelfleda had endowed over a hundred years earlier).

LEOFRIC (d. 1057), earl of Mercia, was a son of Leofwine, earl of Mercia, and became earl at some date previous to 1032. Henceforth, being one of the three great earls of the realm, he took a leading part in public affairs. On the death of King Canute in 1035 he supported the claim of his son Harold to the throne against that of Hardicanute; and during the quarrel between Edward the Confessor and Earl Godwine in 1051 he played the part of a mediator. Through his efforts civil war was averted, and in accordance with his advice the settlement of the dispute was referred to the Witan. When he became earl of Mercia his direct rule seems to have been confined to Cheshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire and the borders of north Wales, but afterwards he extended the area of his earldom. As Chester was his principal resictence and the seat of his government, he is sometimes calied earl of Chester. Leofric died at Bromley in Staffordshire on the 31st of August 1057. His wife was Godgifu, famous in legend as Lady Godiva. Both husband and wife were noted as liberal benefactors to the church, among their foundations being the famous Benedictine monastery at Coventry. Leofiic's son, Alfgar, succeeded him as earl of Mercia.

"Lady" Godiva Countess of MERCIA[scrapbook] 1 was born 2 about 1010 in Mersea Island, Essex, England, United Kingdom. She died about 1080. "Lady" married 3 Leofric III Earl of MERCIA in BY 1030.

The Name Godiva is the Latinised form of the Old English name Godgyfu. She did exist though it is not known when or where she was born nor who her parents were exactly. I have read that she was the daughter of the Sheriff of Lincoln. Dubious, though there are certainly close ties with Lincoln. See the section on St Mary's stow. In her book, Ride, Octavia Randolph sets Godiva in Newark, just 20 miles from Lincoln, as she maintains that Godiva had large estates in Newark.

It is undoubted that Godiva married Leofric, Earl of Mercia. It is said that she was much younger than Leofric. She was supposed to be around 16 when married to Leofric who was said to be in his 60's by some! Yet in contradiction of this supposed fact she died only 10 years after her husband when she was an old woman! These two supposed facts are mutually exclusive - but so much about Godiva is ambiguous in this way. What is know about Godiva is derived from references to her in charters, contemporary and much later chronicles some of which are forgeries!

It is thought that Godiva had considerable properties before she was married, inherited from her family - like wealthy women of her time. Perhaps the area around Coventry (Cofa's tree) was one such parcel of land in her portfolio of properties. The Domesday book lists the Coventry of her time as having just 69 families. A relatively small place and not very indicative of there being much of a "town" through which to ride. More a hamlet of, not necessarily grouped, dwellings.

The following piece from 1572 was written by one Richard Grafton who was member of Parliament for Coventry.

But Gaufride sayth that this gentle and good Lady did not onely for the freeing of the said Citie and satisfying of her husbands pleasure, graunt vnto her sayde Husband to ryde as aforesayde: But also called in secret manner (by such as she put speciall trust in) all those that then were Magistrates and rulers of the said Citie of Couentrie, and vttered vnto them what good will she bare vnto the sayde Citie, and how shee had moued the Erle her husband to make the same free, the which vpon such condition as is afore mencioned, the sayde Erle graunted vnto her, which the sayde Lady was well contented to doe, requiring of them for the reuerence of womanhed, that at that day and tyme that she should ride (which was made certaine vnto them) that streight commaundement should be geuen throughout all the City, that euerie person should shut in their houses and Wyndowes, and none so hardy to looke out into the streetes, nor remayne in the stretes, vpon a very great paine, so that when the tyme came of her out ryding none sawe her, but her husbande and such as were present with him, and she and her Gentlewoman to wayte vpon her galoped through the Towne, where the people might here the treading of their Horsse, but they saw her not, and so she returned to her Husbande from the place from whence she came, her honestie saued, her purpose obteyned, her wisdome much commended, and her husbands imagination vtterly disappointed. And shortly after her returne, when shee had arayed and apparelled her selfe in most comely and seemly manner, then shee shewed her selfe openly to the peuple of the Citie of Couentrie, to the great joy and maruellous reioysing of all the Citizens and inhabitants of the same, who by her had receyued so great a benefite.

Alfgar III Earl of MERCIA [Parents] 1, 2 was born about 1002 in of, Mercia, England, United Kingdom. He died in 1059 in of, Mercia, England, United Kingdom. He was buried in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom. Alfgar married Elfgifu Princess of ENGLAND.

Algar died seven years before the conquest, and his sans Edwin and Morcar, (Earls of Mercia and Northumberland), . .took up arms on behalf of their enslaved countrymen in the year 1071, and Edwin being betrayed into the hands of the Normans, met an untimely fate; when his estates were, of course confiscated and most of those in Staffordshire remained in the King's hands at the Domesday survey. The devastating vengeance which William inflicted on the English revolters, may probably account for the immense tract of waste lands in Staffordshire, mentioned in Domesday, where about thirty lordships are specified in succession, including Biddulph, Endon, Bucknall, Shelton Cheadle and its vicinity; to which list is added the ……observation “All this land of the King is waste!”

Elfgifu Princess of ENGLAND [Parents] 1, 2, 3 was born about 997 in Wessex, England, United Kingdom. Elfgifu married Alfgar III Earl of MERCIA.

Lucia of MERCIA [Parents] 1 was born about 1040 in Mercia, England, United Kingdom. She died in England, United Kingdom. She was buried in Spalding, Lincoln, England, United Kingdom. Lucia married Ivo de TAILLEBOIS.

William de WARENNE 3rd Earl of Surrey [Parents] 1 was born 2, 3 in 1118. He died 4, 5 in 1148. William married 6 Ela TALVAS.

WILLIAM DE WARENNE III, 3rd Earl of Surrey, was born probably in 1119, and died in the defiles of Laodicea, in the Holy Land, 19 Jan. 1147/8, slain in the rearguard of the army of the French King, which was cut to pieces. He married ELA TALVAS (for whom see MONTCOMERY), who was said to have died 4 Oct. 1174 [CP,12:1:497], having married second, about 1152, Patrick d' Everettx de Salisbury, 1st Earl of Wiltshire or Salisbury, who died in 1168.

In June 1137 he was among the nobles who deserted King Stephen's army in Normandy, where it was said Stephen held William de Warenne junior and other youths and did his best to pacify them, but did not dare make them fight. On 18 Dec. 1138 he was with his half-brother Waleran, Count of Meulan, at Rouen. On 2 Feb. 1140/1 he was in Stephen's army at the battle of Lincoln, and fled with Waleran before the enemy's opening charge. However, they joined the Queen in London about June 1141. At Christmas William witnessed royal charters of Stephen at Canterbury. On Palm Sunday, 24 March 1145/6, he took the cross, setting off on Crusade in June 1147.

William WARENNE 2nd Earl of Surrey died 1, 2 on 11 May 1138. William married 3, 4 Isabel (Elizabeth) de VERMANDOIS Countess of Leicester in 1118.

WILLLIAM DE WARENNE II, 2nd Earl of Surrey, died probably 11 May 1138, and was buned at his father's feet at the chapter house at Lewes. He married in 1118, as her second husband, ISABEL DE VERMANDOIS, Countess of Leicester (daughter of Hugh Magnus de Crepi, son of Henri I, King of France), who died probably before July 1147. She had married first Sir Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, who died 5 June 1118.

In 1090 he fought in Normandy against Robert de Belleme (for whom see Montgomery), who had the support of Duke Robert. Shortly after 1093 he fought unsuccessfully to many Maud (or Matilda), the daughter of Malcolm III Canmore, King of Scotland. While he was with Henry l at Windsor on Sept., he later supported Duke Robert and thus had his English inheritance confiscated. In 1103 Robert induced Henry I to restore William's English earldom. In 1106 he commanded a division of the royal army at the battle of Tinchebrai. In 1109 he was at a Great Council at Nottingham, and in 1111 he served as a judge in Normandy. He commanded a division of the royal army at the battle of Bremule in 1119. In 1131 he attended the Council at Northampton. On 1 Dec. 1135 he was present when Henry I died at Lyons-la-Foret, and was placed in charge of the district of Rouen and the pays de Caux. He was with Stephen at Westminster at Easter 1136.